Heinrich Höfemeier

Heinrich Höfemeier was credited with 96 victories in 490 missions. All his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, including at least 27 Il-2 Sturmoviks and at least 16 twin-engined bombers.

Heinrich Höfemeier was born on the 21^st of August 1913 at Langenholzhausen in Lippe. He joined the clandestine Luftwaffe on the 1^st of May 1933 and trained as a Bordmechaniker (flight engineer). Höfemeier participated in the Spanish Civil War as a member of the ground staff of the Condor Legion. He served under the command of Oberleutnant Werner Mölders (115 victories, RK-Br, killed in flying accident 22 November 1941), the highest scoring German ace of the conflict. On his return to Germany, Höfemeier was awarded the Spanienkreuz in Silber mit Schwertern in July 1939 and two months later underwent flying training. Oberfeldwebel Höfemeier was assigned to 1./JG 51 on the 22nd of March 1941. On the 22^nd of June, Höfemeier claimed four Russian SB-2 twin-engined bombers shot down for his first victories. He claimed his 10th victory on 6 July. On the 13^th of October, Höfemeier claimed three Russian Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft shot down to record his 20th through 22nd victories.

On the 25^th September 1941, Höfemeier received the Ehrenpokal and by the end of 1941 had 25 victories to his credit. He was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz on the 19^th of March 1942 for 30 victories and the Ritterkreuz on the 5th of April 1942 for 41 aerial victories and 12 aircraft destroyed on the ground. By January 1943, Höfemeier had 70 victories to his credit and had been promoted to the rank of Leutnant. On the 20th March 1943, Höfemeier was transferred to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost to undertake a spell of instructing. Höfemeier returned to frontline duty as Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 51 on the 2^nd of May 1943. On the 10th of June he claimed three Il-2 Sturmoviks shot down (71-73). Höfemeier recorded 14 victories in July, including his 80th on the 13th of July. Höfemeier was shot down and killed in Fw 190 A-4 “Brown 5” (W.Nr. 145 667) by Russian Flak over Karatschew on the 7th of August 1943. Heinrich Höfemeier was credited with 96 victories in 490 missions. All his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, including at least 27 Il-2 Sturmoviks and at least 16 twin-engined bombers. Additionally he destroyed 12 Russian aircraft on the ground.